From one side of the country to the other, police officers do their best to crack down on drunk drivers. They realize that doing so can go a long way in saving lives and keeping everybody safe.
An officer on the Prince William County police force is one of the best when it comes to targeting drunk drivers. For five straight years, he has been the number one officer in the county when it comes to arresting those who are driving under the influence.
In 2011, he caught 255 people who were driving drunk. In 2012, this number slipped slightly to 234. While crime stats for last year have yet to be released, it is safe to say that the man will once again be close to the top of the list.
The officer takes great pride in pulling over drunk drivers, because he knows that he is helping to change the lives of many people. He said, “Most people aren’t thinking they’re going to drive drunk and they’re going to kill somebody or kill themselves. I want to get them to think, ‘What will happen if I get a DUI? Will I lose my job? Will I lose my license?'”
It was in 2001 that the officer decided that he would make DUI his area of expertise. Early on, he only made 50 arrests per year but this number continued to grow, eventually reaching more than 200.
Even though officers like this do their best to cut down on drunk drivers in Virginia, there are always those who slip through the cracks. Unfortunately, these people often times cause accidents that result in serious injury or even death. The victims and their families may wish to pursue civil action in order to receive compensation for their damages and losses.
Source: The Washington Post, “Prince William police officer leads Northern Virginia in DUI arrests” Julie Zauzmer, Apr. 21, 2014